If you build it, they will wakeboard behind it.

We spent the weekend at the lake again. When we got there Friday night, B-rad's first job was to install the $50 handle for the washer/dryer he had to order because someone broke the other one...B-rad & I have a ski boat. We bought it like 6 years ago. And B-rad assured me this was the 'boat he's always wanted'. And I fell for it hook, line & sinker. It had a short pole that sticks outta the middle to ski behind. Well, that would never do, so B-rad ordered a 'skylon' kit for it. That's what you see below. It's an extension of the shorter pole that came factory on the boat. Then it had a guide wire that sorta anchored it to the front of the boat so when they skii'd behind it it didn't rip the pole outta the boat. When they ski (actually-these boys wakeboard) it's all about the 'wake' that the boat puts out behind it for them to ski on. The bigger the wake, the bigger & badder the tricks. You see what I'm getting at...

OK-so we've had the 'boat the B-rad has always wanted' for a few years now. And much to my dismay, he went to a bachelor party weekend when I was in Texas in Northern Indiana where there was water. And skiing. And a new fancy schmancy boat. Whoa is me....

When we're down at the lake, the boys always salivate over the newer boats with the new 'towers'. And B-rad's been talking a lot about wanting a tower & sometimes a whole new boat. Alas, I am cheap & have been trying to avoid his stares. But after his bachelor party weekend, the conversation happened more often & more franticly.

Last Monday he was looking on-line to order the handle that someone broke. Welll, he also started looking for towers for the boat.... He told me he found one on ebay for x amount of dollars. And normally, I would've put up a helluva fight. Alas, he knew I was riddled with guilt over the handle that someone broke. And he knew I was vulnerable so he pounced... And I caved. I am ashamed & saddened at myself...

Saturday morning the whole fam got involved in installing this new contraption onto the boat. B-rad, Brian & Brady were in charge of the installation.

Stanley & Derik worked on cleaning & re-sealing the teak wood on the back swim platform. Where were myself, Ann & Lora you may ask? Well, we (& by we I mean Ann & Lora - ok-I put the biscuits in the oven & scrambled the eggs - I love when I'm given jobs I can actually handle...) made breakfast & the boys came down & ate in shifts & then us women folk had to clean up. When clean up was over - I went up to take pics.

Behold...the (almost) final product.So all the boys were foaming at the mouth to ski behind the new tower. I got some really good pics of them skiing (if I do say so myself...) I figured out the key to having the most 'in' focus pics is to sit in the back of the boat. It's way more stable so I don't bouce around as much. PLUS I'm a few feet closer to the skiier so I can zoom in a little more.

Brian likes to experiment with the weight distribution in the boat. This pic was taken when I was in the back of the boat in my sturdy 'at the ready' position. Then he decided he would like to see what the wake would do if my big bootie was in the front of the boat. He decided he liked the wake better. I'm glad my big bootie serves a public service. However, I ain't taken no mo' pics in the front of the boat...that's the price he's gotta pay. Want pics? My big bootie's in the back. Don't care about pics? My big bootie will gladly sit up front.

Hey look! I was there! Brady took my pic!

Since the boys were foaming at the mouth to ski-they waited to finish stage 2 of the contraption for later that evening. Stage 2 - speakers! Oh yea, we go big or go home. The kit B-rad found on ebay came with everything they needed. Look to the right of B-rad. See the wake board that appears to be suspended? This is another plus of having a tower. It came with a rack that holds 2 wakeboards. This means that the boards don't have to be on the floor of the boat NOR do we have to walk around/over or trip over all the boards. B-rad also ordered another rack to hold a knee board for Cole & another wakeboard. This is also awesome for Lora & I because now WE don't have to try & pry the boards out of the boat because the boys are MORE than happy to un-strap & strap them back into the racks. Per-fect - we can continue to sit back, relax & soak up the rays!

Cole's at the stage where he thinks everyone hates him if they punish him or tell him no. While he was thumbing through the directions for the tower, he asked me if I hated him? My answer? "Not right now, Cole. But check by tomorrow - we'll have to see how the rest of the evening goes." Oh, c'mon! That's funny - and true...

Derik is not really about the water. He doesn't swim with us. He doesn't go out in the boat with us. He fishes. All day. Just fishes. And sometimes it pays off! He caught this huge catfish on the dock.

And after working for hours & hours to catch something, this is a big step for him to release it. He doesn't really like the releasing part.

Ah, the finished product. The tower, the speakers & the board racks. The speakers are so we can be tre' cool & blast our music while we are speeding down the lake. They also allow the boys to hear the music blaring while they're skiing. However, the speakers weren't quite loud enough for them to hear. They are about 70' from the boat when they ski. So guess what B-rad has planned? Oh yea, ordering more speakers AND an amp... Sigh... Sunday before we went back out, Cole's eyelids were very red. I think he had gotten sunburnt, so I asked Lora if maybe he should wear some sunglasses? And like any good mama bear, she gave him hers...

However, the diamonds sparkling on the side just didn't go with his skin tone. And Lora thought he looked like Elton John so she found him another pair. Lookin' good, kid! Sunday was more of the same. Skiing behind the new awesome, speaker rigged tower.

B-rad...

Brady.

In other news, after B-rad installed the handle on the washer/dryer, he made me open it - with OUT breaking it. I was scared, but he told me I had to 'get back on the horse'. I did not do one load of laundry all weekend. Baby steps... However, I did have to take MUCH ribbing all weekend about the broken handle. I love tough love...

Brady slept on the sofa bed on Stan & Ann's boat this weekend. I helped him put it up Sunday morning & it's old & you have to mess with it to get it back in the sofa. It was making popping & cracking noises & I said, "Oh no, Brady! It's gonna break & I'm gonna be touching it!" Ann just laughed...